Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Pesto Sauce

My husband’s favorite dish is chicken parmesan. Since my father was visiting and can no longer eat tomatoes (too acidic) and I am allergic to them, I thought I would create a gluten free chicken parmesan recipe with pesto sauce, which we could all eat. I topped breaded chicken with a pesto cream sauce. Mmmm! Dad being 100% Italian, loved this recipe, as did we! It’s very rich, though! You may need a nap after, especially if serving pasta! I used some of the pesto sauce with Jovial’s gluten-free angel hair pasta (Capellini) and served it with gluten-free zucchini casserole without any added spices. I was so hungry and it was so good, I didn’t realize that I hadn’t taken a photo of one of our plates until it was half gone! Luckily I shot a photo of it in the skillet! I like this recipe, as you can bread the chicken hours in advance and place in the fridge when ready to cook!

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Pesto Sauce

51

Yield: Serves 3

Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Pesto Sauce

Change things up a bit and use basil pesto sauce instead of marina or meat sauce. You'll be happy you did!

Ingredients:

    For the Chicken Parmesan:
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • Mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup Gluten-Free Seasoned Bread Crumbs
  • 1/3 - /2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
  • For the Pesto Sauce:
  • 1 bunch fresh basil leaves or 1/2 tube basil paste (found in your grocer’s produce isle)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped or dried cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly chopped or dried parsley
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed, minced or grated
  • fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated Romano and Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup heaving whipping cream
  • Dairy-Free Pesto Option:
  • Dairy-Free Almond Pesto Sauce Recipe

Instructions:

  1. Pound the breasts with a cooking mallet, bottom of a glass or bottom of a small frying pan. Be careful not to over pound them or you will create holes in them. Set chicken aside.
  2. Beat egg in a shallow bowl; set aside.
  3. Add flour and bread crumbs in separate dinner plates.
  4. Coat the chicken on all sides with flour; coat in egg; and coat with bread crumbs.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  6. Preheat a heavy non-stick skillet with olive oil and fry chicken until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
  7. Top chicken with pesto cream sauce.
  8. Add slices of Mozzarella cheese on top each slice of chicken.
  9. Cover pan and cook for about 10 minutes.
  10. To make the pesto sauce, in a food processor, add nuts, basil, garlic, pepper and seasonings; blend until nuts are well chopped.
  11. Add olive oil a little bit at the time.
  12. Add to a sauce pan and heat.
  13. Add whipping cream right before serving. If you cook it too long the cream will stick to the cheese and become lumpy. If this happens, add more whipping cream and whisk until smooth.

2 Replies to “Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan with Pesto Sauce”

  1. I made something similar to this recipe before and really enjoyed it but I like your addition of the almonds. I will make sure to add that the next time I make this.

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